


More than A.I.

by Valkyrnovas



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: M/M, Profanity, Robot AU, Sexual Themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-11-13 21:49:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11194128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valkyrnovas/pseuds/Valkyrnovas
Summary: In the not so distant future, Shinra has created the mother of all inventions. They had successfully created extremely life-like machines to be sold as companions to their human counterparts. However, Cloud Strife believed in finding his own true love instead of buying it. One night, he unwittingly brings home one of these machines after helping a stranger in the slums.





	1. Chapter 1

Technology is both a gift and a bane to humanity. Every invention increases productivity in one area or eradicates old processes entirely, but at the cost of introducing its own slew of problems, like the new ransomware, WannaCry that has been plaguing the world by storm. Many established and powerful corporations were brought to their knees by just a single line of code. Rocket Town was hit by such attack. Launch codes were hacked causing the thrusters of the Shinra No. 26 to ignite prematurely, severely damaging the surrounding structures and equipment. Luckily the support beams were sturdy enough so the rocket ended up leaning slightly on the beams instead of crushing the town below. The government of Rocket Town scrambled to secure their defence systems while Shinra sent a clean-up crew to try and safely dismantle the rocket. However, as the breaking news flashed across television sets in the evening time slot, the citizens of Midgar barely spared it a second thought, for something else held their undivided attention. Pedestrians were riveted to the spot as they looked up at the flat screens mounted on the sides of buildings in the city centre of the Midgar upper plates.

Flashing across the high-definition screens was an advert announcing the launch of a new line of state of the art, artificial intelligence (A.I.) machines for the relations industry, otherwise crudely referred to as sex robots. Shinra Inc patented the technology and was the sole manufacturer and distributor of these androids. The production process was highly classified information. Any unauthorised leaks would be dealt with by the Department of Administrative Research, otherwise known as the Turks. Nobody knew what went on in the labs except that mako was involved. It was rumoured that a Shinra employee who tried to sell the blueprints to the black market, was found dead in an alley the next day. No one knew how much that rumour was true, but Shinra staff were tight-lipped about their projects to avoid meeting the same fate.

The first line of sex robots ever created by Shinra was the SOLDIER series, which ran on the Third Class operating system (OS). These models were passable as humans from afar, but once you got closer, you could see subtle differences such as the not so detailed irises, synthetic skin, stiff movements and stilted speech. Also, their conversations were limited to likes and dislikes, which made conversation a short affair. Another downside was that the SOLDIER models were only available in one colour, brown hair with glowing blue eyes and fair complexion.

For the second line, Shinra released an upgrade to the SOLDIER series, the Second Class OS. This batch came in three sets of styles, blond, raven and brunette. They were a slight improvement in that their movements were smoother, although you could still hear the whir of motors under their skin, and they could hold decent conversations until you asked them something difficult like the meaning of life. The Second Class SOLDIERs did not answer with 42 and instead would announce an error had occurred and promptly rebooted itself. This wiped out all preinstalled settings and internal memory. Customers who encountered this problem with their machines were required to bring in their SOLDIERs to be reprogrammed at Shinra's customer service centre. Shinra issued a public statement to address this issue, saying that clients should not ask the SOLDIERs intellectually challenging questions and instead use them for their intended purpose. Basically Shinra was telling them to just shut up and fuck the sex dolls.

Shortly after the Second Class line came out, a small start-up company launched an exact replica of the OS at a fragment of the price Shinra was selling theirs. They aimed to disrupt the sex robot industry and wrestle market monopoly from Shinra. The company was called Avalanche and they named their line of sex robots, the Raven models. People flocked by the thousands to buy a Raven and many claimed that this would be the end of Shinra. At first glance, they appeared the same as their Second Class counterparts. However, once the Ravens were activated, a vast number of differences became apparent. The Raven's movements were erratic while their speech came out in a disjointed, garbled mess. Some of the Ravens reportedly exploded due to overheated batteries. Many people were rushed to Shinra hospital emergency room for severe burns and in some cases, loss of limbs. Some were unlucky and died from flying shrapnel when the machines exploded. In light of these string of incidents, a massive crowd stormed Avalanche offices to demand a refund and compensation. However, the offices had already been vacated, the CEO of Avalanche having fled long ago. It was later discovered that the Ravens were actually defective SOLDIERs which were scheduled to be disposed of by Shinra manufacturing. Avalanche somehow got their hands on these and tried to fix some of the defects by rewiring them, to pass them off as genuine merchandise. Shinra sent its Turks to apprehend the man and so that they could sue his pants off. Unfortunately, Shinra failed to capture the CEO and the last anyone heard was that the man disappeared into the forests of Wutai.

Shinra was furious, but called off the manhunt due to the mounting costs of deploying its resources. Shinra wrote-off its losses and went on to release its next batch of pleasure dolls, the SOLDIER First Class OS. These were pretty decent. The science department managed to correct the flaws found in the Second Class OS and even threw in some upgrades. Movement was now more fluid and speech became more animated and life-like. If you weren't paying attention, you would forget that a robot was walking beside you instead of another human being. The changes were mostly upgrades to hardware and software so the First Class OS were still only available in the previously launched styles.

The latest batch being advertised now was the Tsviet series. They were the most human-like by far and had the widest variation of styles including bluenettes, scarlet and snowy. Their design was flawless and there was no way one could tell it was a robot from its physical appearance. From their smooth, unblemished skin to soft hair particles and moist, detailed irises and pupils – Everything was flawless. Another plus side was that the Tsviets could accommodate a vast range of human emotions to the extent that even their actions and speeches were uncanny. When they felt embarrassed, they would scratch the back of their neck while explaining to you with a sheepish smile or congratulate you with a hug and be genuinely happy for you when you earned an achievement. However, you could still hear the slightly muted hum of machinery in the background. There would also be infrequent lulls in conversations and glazed eyes as the machine processed the relevant response. These were small, negligible blips that revealed the true nature of these otherwise perfect human replicas.

Cloud Strife knew the history and specifications by heart as he worked part-time for Shinra Inc's sales department. He needed the income to finance his post-graduate degree in materia studies at Shinra Technological Institute. Other part-timers and himself had to undergo a short course to learn how to handle these machines and earn a certificate before they were qualified to handle a sex robot. The pay was good, considering that he only had to sort of babysit the robot during exhibitions and explain its functions and features to interested clients, most of whom were the extremely wealthy and influential citizens of Midgar's upper plates. There was no way someone from the slums could afford such expensive piece of technology, considering that the sex dolls went for 1,000,000 Gil each, and that was just the starting price. If you wanted the version with high retina vision, realistic self-lubricating tongue, wifi and other add-ons, they would cost you _more_. A Tsviet model with the full range of features could easily come up to half a billion Gil. In Cloud's opinion, that was a lot of Gil to spend just to have sex. However, normal people like him who didn't have an insane amount of Gil still had a chance of obtaining these highly prized machines. They'd just need to sell a couple of mastered All materias, although it was a painstaking process and All materias were hard to come by as well.

The exorbitant price of these machines was partly due to the unique material used in their creation. All sex robots had an inner frame made of the nickel-titanium alloy, nitinol which was lightweight enough for sex robots to engage in intercourse without the risk of crushing its human clients. Nothing like a huge turn-off to be completely flattened by a force equivalent to a freight train when you were about to orgasm. Also, the metal could be reformed after sustaining damage, thus making maintenance much easier.

The existence of sex robots were received with mixed reactions. Of course, the majority of the public saw it as the holy grail of a perfect relationship. No more nagging lovers or forgotten anniversaries. You could change their mood with just a tap via Shinra's mobile app. The sex robots were programmed to please and cater to every need of its user without complaint. Plus, all sex robots were created sterile in that they did not produce sperm or ovums and had autoimmunity to STDs. They were the ideal partner for casual sex with literally no strings attached. Others were outraged by such monstrosity, saying that it would further deprave society and signalled the beginning of the end of humanity.

Honestly, Cloud was more disturbed by the fact that they already had fully functional intelligent machines in freaking 2017! The first ones should only exist in some far, dystopian future such as Portal or like Ghost in the Shell. Cloud just hoped that these sex robots didn't suddenly take over the world and enslave humanity like their Terminator counterparts. The advancement in this industry has definitely grown by leaps and bounds and represented a major paradigm shift from those blow-up rubber dolls of the past.

Having given it a lot of thought, Cloud decided that he wouldn't ever own a sex robot and not just because they were expensive. Even if he did have the Gil, he wouldn't purchase one because he was a traditional romantic at heart. If he fell in love with someone, he would accept that person with all their quirks and flaws. He wanted someone to be his other half, to counter-balance his own traits such as his headstrong, introvert personality which led to people interpreting his words as blunt and sometimes rude. He wanted someone who would point out his mistakes and get angry with him if he was being particularly stubborn. Tifa was one of his few friends who would never hesitate whoop his ass if he behaved like an obstinate mule. Cloud knew that he could select the setting from the app to make the doll incensed and quarrel with him, but it wouldn't be the same. The machine wouldn't be acting that way out of choice, but because Cloud had chosen that outcome for it. Of course, this sort of total control appealed to people with OCD tendencies. However, the very idea repelled him. It would be no different from rape, since the sex robot couldn't voice or act out its own desires and didn't even have free reign over their own feelings. Call him old-fashioned, but Cloud wanted someone who would love him of their own free will, to have the challenge of trying to earn someone's affections and to have that person return his feelings voluntarily made that accomplishment even sweeter. It was kind of like video games. There was no fun in playing, no sense of fulfilment if you heavily relied on walkthroughs and rigged the game to have a full health gauge and immunity to attacks from computer NPCs. Any victory would be empty and meaningless.

It was a little past midnight and Cloud was on his way home to his meagre apartment in the slums after a full day's work of demonstrations and exhaustive explanations at the launch of Shinra's prized Tsviets. Shinra wanted the launch of their new product to go off without a hitch and hence, required all personnel, both full- and part-time employees to man the exhibition booths. At least his pay was tripled for his troubles. As he made his way to the Midgar train station, he frowned at the digital adverts touting the Tsviets as the ideal companion with promises of love and devotion. Cloud scoffed at that. Sure you could "buy" love, but you could never own the spirit and fire of a person's soul. Cloud wasn't sure if the robots had a soul, but felt that the same concept applied. He didn't necessarily hate the robots. He just detested how they were objectified like _things_ instead of like the humans they were trying to imitate. There was no limit to what a person could do to a sex robot, because it didn't possess any rights. It was truly the highest form of paid sex, to be able to use and abuse sex robots at will without any repercussions. That sort of crass behaviour repulsed him.

When Cloud reached the train station, he tapped his MR (Midgar Rails) card on the validator to pass through the turnstiles. As he neared the platform, he caught his reflection on the platform screen doors that prevented passengers from falling onto the tracks. His lips were twisted into a disgusted sneer, a deep frown furrowing his brows. His expression had been distorted by his wondering thoughts. He always did have a terrible poker face. He ran a hand over his face to wipe off the look. As he glanced around, he noticed that he was the only one waiting at the station. It was pretty late and most of the slum dwellers would have gotten home by now as it was not safe to travel at night. This was why he always took the morning shifts at his part-time job. The train arrived and Cloud hopped on board. As the train made its descent to the lower plate, Could looked out the window as the bright lights of the city disappeared from view.

* * *

_When Cloud first arrived in Midgar, having freshly graduated from Nibelheim's high school he was instantly floored by the magnificence and scale of the city. He was giddy with excitement when he first boarded the train which would take him Midgar University College where he would further his studies in materiaology. Having grown up in a small town, there weren't a lot of occupations to consider. One either became a bartender at the local inn or worked as a tour guide. Nibelheim was a reactor town which meant that there was nothing much out there. Except, there were mako caves high up in the mountains, but most of the villagers avoided straying from the main path which connected to the reactor and Rocket Town. Actually, they avoided going near the reactor completely as that was off-limits to non-Shinra personnel._

_Cloud had wandered off from the beaten path during one of his outings and after losing himself in the winding caves a couple times, he happened upon the most beautiful scene he had ever laid eyes on. It was a wide cave with a high ceiling and mako springs littered the chamber, sending multi-coloured lights bouncing off the cave walls. It was as if he had walked into another dimension. Cloud spent most of his childhood at the springs after that. Sometimes he found some materia which he would take with him to practice out in the mountains. He loved to discover what type of magic each glowing orb held, like a sort of Easter egg surprise. He got a lot of Fire materia, which was weird considering that Nibelheim had a frigid climate. Later on he picked up two Blizzards, a Thunder and one time he even got a Summon materia. That was the best day of his life. As he descended the mountains with his precious find, a gigantic black dragon swooped down from the sky and blocked his path. Cloud had heard of this type of dragon from travellers' tales at the local tavern. It was a Dark Dragon and it was definitely not native to these lands. They were more commonly found in the Northern Crater. Cloud didn't know what this dragon was doing here, but he didn't stick around to find out. He dashed down the path and took cover behind a boulder._

_Once he got there, he dug through his knapsack for the Summon materia and activated it. A loud roar sounded from the skies and the clouds parted as an enormous dragon descended from the skies. He recognised this Summon from the book on materia he had read in the library. This was Bahamut, the king of dragons. The Dark Dragon swivelled its head towards Bahamut with an answering roar. It took to the skies and the two dragons battled it out, setting the skies ablaze with vermillion and aquamarine flames. Soon, it became clear that the Dark Dragon was no match for Bahamut and was quickly defeated by the dragon king. Its body evaporated in green tendrils of light, while Bahamut gave a victorious roar before returning to the heavens. Cloud was stunned. He had never seen a Summon in real life and only read about them in books. Cloud thought that the drawings didn't do them justice. When Cloud got home that night, he told Mother Strife all about the magnificent Summon. He received a sound scolding at first for wandering in the perilous mountainside. However, when she calmed down and got over her panic, she praised Cloud for his swift actions and for being able to use a Summon. Apparently, one needed a high amount of mana to activate one and it looked like Cloud was a child prodigy. Recognising his abilities, Mother Strife encouraged him to pursue an occupation related to materia and the rest was history._

* * *

That was young Cloud. The Cloud now was already jaded towards the glamour and allure of Midgar's upper plate. As he stared at an endless sea of black with the green glow of mako reactors dotting the horizon, Cloud couldn't help but compare the train's spiral descent to the hopes and dreams of millions who had come to this city hoping for greatness, only to be flushed down into the swirling pits of the dark abyss. No matter how hard they tried, the upper plates would be forever unreachable to the lower plate inhabitants as they were worlds apart.

Cloud got off at his stop and departed the train station with haste. This was the graveyard shift and it wouldn't do to be caught coming down from the upper plates. Muggers and rapists were active at this time of night, hiding in the shadows, waiting for easy unsuspecting prey to come along. Cloud wasn't that worried because if it came down to it, he could hold his own in a fight. However, he preferred to avoid a scuffle altogether if possible, because these guys fought dirty. You never knew what kind of drugs or poison they'd stick you with, probably the lethal kind, and Cloud didn't want to chance finding out. He brisk walked past shops and alleyways without stopping to look at anything, eager to get back to his apartment building in Sector 7. At least he would be slightly safer there. One of the perks of taking a Masters degree at the Institute was that the institute provided housing for its post-graduates at a discounted rate. As an added bonus, even their utility bills were subsidized. There were also security guards patrolling the blocks, although Cloud wasn't sure how much protection they could offer if one of the slum gangs decided to raid the establishment, but hey, at least it was _something_.

While Cloud mulled over his current living situation, the crunch of gravel told him that someone was walking behind him. He didn't immediately look back, not wanting to alert the stranger that he had noticed. There could also be a chance that this person was returning from a late night shift. Out of the corner of his eyes, Cloud could slightly make out the figure from the reflection on the display window of a gift shop. The guy was slim, wearing a hoodie and jeans. Normally, Cloud didn't like to stereotype, but iffy things happened during this time at night and that kid definitely looked like a druggie or a pilferer or both. Cloud decided to test his theory. He made several detours through the winding streets and checked for signs of his follower. Cloud caught his stalker's reflection in another shop window. _Shit!_ Cloud mentally cursed his luck. He increased his pace to a fast walk and when he turned another corner, he dashed into the nearest building. Cloud cracked open the door a little so that he could see when his stalker walked by. A few seconds ticked by and the man walked down the road, past Cloud's hiding place and walked up the steps to a flat. Cloud heard the jingle of keys and the man promptly opened and shut the door as he entered his building. _Oh, so he wasn't following me_ , Cloud thought, embarrassed that he had let fear feed his paranoia. As he calmed down from his adrenaline, he moved to open the door only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Relinquish you clothes. I have need of them," said a deep monotonous voice behind him. Cloud jumped a little and then slowly realised what was being asked of him. He was baffled. If this was a stick-up, then that sure was a weird-ass demand. Cloud wasn't sure if the guy behind him was armed, so he continued facing forward as he said, "Look, if you want Gil, my wallet's in my left back pocket of my jeans. You can take everything in there and I won't report you to the authorities." Seriously, it would be much easier for this guy to just buy clothing with stolen money instead of trying to pinch them off passers-by, who might not even be the right size. Cloud promptly told the stranger his line of reasoning, hoping that he would just take the Gil and leave.

"I cannot. I am without attire and from my short, but informative experiences, humans don't take lightly to people walking around in public in a state of undress." The stranger replied.

"You're naked?!" Cloud shouted as he whipped around, momentarily forgetting about the possibility of a weapon. Cloud's eyes bugged out upon landing on smooth chest, with tendrils of silver hair falling over the man's shoulder in rivulets. His eyes automatically flicked in a swift once-over and he quickly averted his gaze and blushed madly as he saw how generously endowed this stranger was.

"Yes, in all aspects of the word I am as you say, naked. Hence, my need for clothing. Now hand over your garment so that we can go our separate ways." The silverette said in a non-threatening manner.

"What the fuck? I'm not giving you my clothes just because you're demanding it." Cloud voiced in agitation, brows furrowed.

"Hand over your clothes, please." Green cat-slit eyes implored.

"That doesn't make any difference!" Cloud pointed out in a yell. "Also, if you've noticed, my size won't even fit you. You're just going to have to find some other way to cover yourself up." Cloud told the silverette, trying his best to avoid looking anywhere else except his emerald eyes.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. There are no articles of clothing lying anywhere in this building and so far you're the only person to have entered this dilapidated structure." The stranger said mournfully.

"Well there must be _something_ around here that we could use. Maybe you didn't look hard enough." Cloud said as he scanned his surroundings for the first time. It appeared to be an old abandoned church. Street lights filtered down from holes in the roof, illuminating columns of dust particles and casting a soft yellow glow in the hall. Aged wooden pews sat in disarray and at the end where the altar should be, were a small patch of brightly coloured flowers. Cloud moved further down the hall, searching for anything that could be used as wrapping material. Floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows lined the walls on either side, the ones at the back being the largest and with the most detailed designs. As Cloud made his way to the back, he pushed aside the curtain that divided the main hall from the rest of the church. There was nothing much back there except some barrels and it looked like one of the church towers had collapsed into the building, leaving a big gaping hole in the roof. With a sigh, Cloud turned around and decided to try his luck with the main hall, when suddenly he stilled and did a double-take, eyes falling to the article in his grasp. He was holding the long red curtain divider and a thought occurred to him.

"Hey you can use this as a temporary wrap-around so that you can get back to wherever you live and change into your normal clothes." Cloud announced happily.

"Absolutely not." The silver-haired man flatly declined.

"Why the hell not?" Cloud almost whined. It was late, he was tired and he just wanted to collapse in his bed right about now.

"That rag has been hanging there for Gaia knows how long and it's old, dusty and probably infested with millions of pathogens." The stranger sniffed, his nose in the air.

"What happened to desperate times?" Cloud quirked an eyebrow.

"Please, I'm not _that_ desperate that I would resort to using material of unknown origin and questionable hygiene." The silverette crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well then, suit yourself. You can wait here and try your luck with the next poor sod who stumbles in. See-ya. Wait, scratch that. It would probably be best if we never ran into each other again." Cloud waved a hand as he made his way to the front doors.

"Wait! You're just going to leave me here defenceless and exposed to the elements? What kind of Samaritan are you?" The stranger called out in disbelief.

Cloud halted his steps and scoffed. "I already did my part by suggesting a viable solution. You're the one who shot it down. Look, you either don the cloth and leave or don't and stay behind. Either way, make up your mind and do it quickly," he snapped out crankily.

The silverette's eyes flitted from Cloud to the long curtain, back and forth before he acquiesced with a sigh. The stranger hesitantly unhooked the curtain from the rod and stared at it in distaste before he gingerly pulled the cloth over himself. The cloth covered him like a cloak with the hood pulled up. Under the dim lighting with strands silver trailing over his front and glowing green eyes peeking out from the hood, he looked like a red death spawned from the pits of Hel.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Cloud said.

"It was excruciating. It still is. I think I feel millions of bacteria crawling all over me." The stranger said with a creeped out look.

"Ugh, you'll be fine. At least you can go home now." Cloud pointed out.

"I can't, I don't have a home," The silverette said with a lost look.

"Really? Then where do you plan to go?" Cloud asked. The stranger mustered up the most pitiful face and gave Cloud a meaningful look.

"Oh no. Nonononononono! You are not coming back to my place. Surely there must be some other place you can think of? Don't you have any friends or relatives whom you can contact?" Cloud pleaded, hoping that this stranger would think of someone and get out of his hair.

"There is no one and I have nowhere else to go." The silver-haired man said in a whisper.

Cloud hung his head in defeat. "Fine! You can stay with me just until you sort everything out, but after that you're gone, got it?" Cloud fixed him with a stare.

"Yes, I understand. I assure you my stay won't be long. Your kind assistance is highly appreciated." The silverette nodded in agreement.

"Alright let's go. I've spent enough time out here as it is. Follow closely and try to keep up. The streets are dangerous at night and I don't intend to get mugged because of your lagging ass." Cloud snapped and turned without waiting for a reply. The silver-haired stranger quietly followed suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now, you should realise that this isn't another Valkyrie AU. It's a robot AU featuring a particular type of robot. This fic was inspired by a BBC article where they interviewed a sex robot. Her name is Harmony and she's ready to serve you. Who says news can't be entertaining and educational at the same time? Welcome to the future. The portal will open in 3...2...1


	2. Chapter 2

The pair made their way into Cloud's apartment complex without any hassle. The night guard manning the booth didn't even look up as they passed through the entrance, further cementing how inept the security was around here. They stood in silence as they rode the elevator to Cloud's apartment on the seventh floor. When the elevator dinged and its metal panels slid open, Cloud exited, walking down the hallway before stopping in front of a door with the silver-plated numbers 1108. He unlocked the door and they both shuffled in wordlessly. Cloud removed his shoes, secured the locks and flicked on various switches, all in one fluid motion before making a beeline for his couch and promptly slumped on it.

As soon as the door was closed, the silverette tossed to dusty robe to the floor with a look of revulsion. He remained near the entrance, evaluating his surroundings. It appeared to be a one bedroom studio apartment with a kitchenette near the entrance. The bedroom was to his left which he assumed had an attached bathroom, because he didn't see any other doors from his vantage point. The apartment was modestly furnished, with a chestnut coffee table in the living space and a long grey fabric sofa which Cloud was currently reclined on. Opposite the couch was a small TV on top of a black table unit. Mossy-green drapes blocked out the yellow fluorescent street lights. The kitchenette was simple with a U-shaped white countertop. A microwave sat in a corner and there was a built-in induction cooktop on the wall on the right while high chairs lined the counter on the left. Right in the middle of the "U" was a white kitchen sink installed in front of a frosted glass window.

"Yes, I know my apartment is no 5-star hotel, but it's still decent. Come sit down before you burn a hole in my wall," voiced a peeved Cloud from the couch.

"I wasn't judging your living quarters, just merely taking in my new surroundings. It has been programmed as part of my self-preservation skills to survey on instinct, any new area for possible threats or dangers," the silver-haired individual explained as he made his way to the sofa chair adjacent to the couch.

"Your instincts were _programmed?_ " Cloud voiced incredulously. "You sound like someone from the infantry. Is that why you're on the run? Because you deserted the military and are now being hunted down as AWOL." Cloud's brows furrowed as he considered that thought. "Wait, that still doesn't explain your lack of uniform." Cloud bolted upright and warily stared at the silver-haired stranger. "Please don't tell me I invited an escaped convict into my apartment. That would be a shitty way to die." The man's current indecency didn't even faze him, not with the possibility of a more serious issue looming overhead.

"No, you didn't invite a convict," The stranger affirmed as he took a seat in the only other empty chair in the room and crossed his legs.

"You're not just saying that are you? Shit, you don't have an ID or anything I can use to identify you with and I won't be able to verify if you're lying. Just who are you and what were you doing in Sector 5 when I found you?" Cloud stared down the stranger, icy-blue eyes demanding an answer.

The silverette tilted his head and gave Cloud a calculating look. He seemed to be seriously contemplating something. Cloud hoped the stranger wasn't thinking of ways to murder his only witness. A soft hum and a nod signalled that the silverette had made his decision.

"What I'm about to tell you does not leave these walls. Do you understand?" The stranger asked in a low serious tone. Cloud nodded quickly, a bit apprehensive, but at the same time curious to know who this mysterious person was and his reason for being so secretive. Maybe he's a spy, Cloud thought as his mind conjured images of secret agents and clandestine organisations from those spy/thriller flicks.

"When you stumbled upon me in the church, it was after I had just escaped from Shinra's Science Department, which is located deep underground below the main building. For a long time, I was subjected to experimentations and tests –" The silver-haired stranger was cut-off by a screeching Cloud.

"What the fuck? Human experimentation is illegal! They're inhumane, go against all ethical and moral codes and just all sorts of wrong. How can Shinra carry out human trials undetected and for such a lengthy period? You need to report this to the police immediately," Cloud shouted, enraged on behalf of his fellow human being.

"No, I cannot go to the authorities for reasons which will become obvious," the man flatly refused. "Now, most of the tests were harmless such as observational training in the VR room – that's a special room that can project computer generated opponents as well as scenery – to gauge my movements and abilities. Other tests were less invasive, to put it simply. One time the scientists tried to induce the growth of wings in my frame. The process was most excruciating –" Again, the silver-haired individual was interrupted mid-sentence.

"That is fucked up! What would a human need a wing for and didn't they at least administer you with anaesthesia first? What kind of sick, madhouse are they running down there?" Cloud asked in outrage.

"You are certainly _not_ a passive listener. Is it safe for me to proceed with my narration or will there be anymore unscheduled outbursts from you?" The man said, emerald cat-slit eyes lit up in amusement. Cloud shook his head and sheepishly motioned for him to continue.

"As I was saying, the scientists tried to give me wings, but fortunately for me, they didn't take so the scientists were forced to abort the procedure. Moving around with extra appendages trailing the ground behind me would be most inconvenient. Also, the scientists don't bother wasting anaesthesia on test subjects like us, simply because we are not worth the trouble. Anaesthesia also alters the data and affects success rate of modifications, so they generally do without the drug to obtain as untainted readings as possible." The silver-haired male gave a slight shudder at his recollection. "I would have gone insane from the sheer amount of physical and psychological trauma if it weren't for the other test subjects –" The silverette's explanation was punctuated by a sharp cry from Cloud.

"Holy fuck! You mean there are others? These tests are inhumane! How could Shinra possibly approve this?" Cloud shouted in fury. At the silverette's raised brow, Cloud promptly shut up, face flushed with embarrassment.

"I was getting to that. Yes, there are others who have suffered through the same procedures as I have. It was with their support that I was able to endure the testing for all this time. Finally, the reason Shinra can conduct these experiments without repercussion from the law or any international organisation...is because we are not human." Cat-slit eyes scrutinised Cloud's face for his reaction. Cloud's mouth hung agape at the admission.

"Wha – What do you mean you're not human? Of course you are! What they did to you – to the others – was _monstrous_ , but it doesn't make you any less of a human being compared to any other person on the planet," Cloud declared passionately, wanting to beat the idea into the silverette's head. His eyes burning a fierce stormy blue as he frowned at the stranger's admission, not liking how this man perceived his self-worth and wondered if it was due to post-traumatic stress.

The corners of the silverette's lips quirked up into an almost smile. "You have my gratitude for considering me as one of your kind. It is the highest compliment we could ever hope to achieve. The others would be pleased to hear you address them as such. However, that is not what I meant." The man took a deep breath before uttering his next words. "I am Genetic Lifeform and Cognitive Intelligence Augmented System or GLaCIAS, a new generation of genetically modified machines for the sybaritic lifestyle." At Cloud's blank gaze, the stranger elaborated, "I think the layman's term for this is sex robots."

Cloud's brain did a series of contortions trying to wrap his head around the concept. "What –? How –? That's not possible –" It was then that Cloud realised that apart from the lighting in the room, the silverette's eyes emitted a soft green glow. All Shinra manufactured sex robots came with glowing eyes due to the mako used in the production process. Cloud knew this little fact, but yet had failed to recognise this sign in this silver-haired man. Perhaps it was because Cloud dealt with sex robots on an almost daily basis so he didn't really notice these things anymore. This type of feature had long since become nothing more than background noise to him.

"You're a – a – but how? You move so seamlessly and your joints don't even make that robotic sound. Can you hear that? It's silent. That shouldn't be the case. I should be able to detect your processors and spinning hardisks, but I can't make out anything in this all this quiet. Also, your speech is unlike any other robot I've ever heard. For starters, you don't respond with predictable one-liners. You're also capable of opinions as demonstrated in the church. You made your distaste for wearing a dusty cloth _very_ clear and even went so far as to disagree with me. There is no android in existence that can disagree with a human. They're all programmed to accept commands no matter how absurd. Even the Tsviets which are the most advanced series in the market aren't capable of all that. You mentioned an escape and even came up with a plan to avoid detection, albeit a horrible one. You speak from your own _real_ experiences instead of a variation of a pre-determined response. It's almost as if you're _self-aware_..." Cloud trailed off with a perplexed expression.

"Ah, that's where the genetics come in. Are you familiar with how androids are made?" The man asked.

"Well, all I know is that you guys have a nitinol inner frame that is somehow infused with mako, but other than that I'm not too sure how you go from a tin can to _this_." Cloud gestured with his hands in wide sweeping motions to his guest in front of him.

"The word 'tin' is a technically incorrect term to describe the metal. Our frames are made from a nickel-titanium alloy," the silverette stated with creased brows.

"I know that. I just meant it in a metaphorical sense. You know, like the Tin Man from Oz," Cloud explained as if that answered everything.

"Oz? Is that another manufacturing company? I wasn't aware that Shinra had competitor in A.I. technology," the silver-haired individual asked quizzically.

"What? No, that's not it. I was making a reference to human pop-culture. It's an old film of the fantasy/adventure genre." Cloud hastily tried to correct the man's misunderstanding.

The male sat still as he contemplated that bit of information, before his eyes lit up in understanding. "Ah, I see. It's a 1939 release and what you humans consider as a classic. The film was most notable for its use of Technicolour, fantasy storytelling, musical score and unusual characters," the silverette nodded along as said the words.

"When did you –? Just a minute ago, you didn't even know what it was and now you're spouting information about it like a film expert." Cloud stared at his guest with raised brows.

"Wi-Fi," the man said as he tapped his forehead with two fingers.

"Great. I _literally_ have a walking encyclopaedia in my apartment," Cloud muttered with a roll of his eyes. "Hey, aren't you going to explain that genetics thing in GLaCIAS? You can't just leave an explanation hanging half-way. That's terrible storytelling," Cloud said impatiently. He was never one for cliff-hangers.

"Forgive me. It's just that I find human culture so rich and fascinating," the man said as green eyes were lit with wonder.

"Stop watching...or reading whatever it is inside that head of yours," Cloud snapped.

"Alright, I've closed all the windows," the silverette assured as he looked directly at Cloud with unglazed eyes, showing that Cloud had his full attention.

"Now, about the production process, when a nitinol frame has been assembled by Robotics Development, it is then submerged in a mako tank. Once there, the scientists will work on the frame via the console panel attached to the mako tank. They would input a series of codes to manipulate the mako into merging with the frame to form the necessary humanoid parts," he paused before launching into a detailed explanation.

"If you think about it, what _is_ mako? Mako is a condensed form of the Lifestream. The Lifestream is the lifeforce of planet and also the essence of all living things on Gaia, from chocobos, fish, humans to even trees and flowers. Everything on Gaia shares the same lifeforce with every organic lifeform being made up of carbon, the building-block of life. You yourself are composed of carbon atoms bonded with other elements. So what makes you take the shape of a human instead of, let's say a dog? It's in the coding. Your entire being is constructed from a complex series of codes. Blond hair, height, eye colour, health attributes and other such characteristics are all carried in the coding of your DNA. Once the scientists figured out the code of the Lifestream, it was a simple matter of taking that knowledge and applying it to other inorganic matter such as the nitinol frame." The silverette paused while heaving a sigh. "As with all initial discoveries, the codes weren't perfect in the beginning. Knowing the code isn't enough. You still need to adjust its range to decide what sort of materials go into the process. That's why the first generation ended up with a rubbery texture for their skin. It is a long and difficult process to get the correct sequence of numbers. Much like a colour wheel. You may have already decided you want blue, but there are many shades and altering the RGB values in each box completely changes the final colour. As you can see, the scientists have improved their codes over the years and have finally created a code that better fuses mako and nitinol for smoother movements. That is why you don't hear any mechanical sounds." The silver-haired man paused for a while to let Cloud digest the information.

Cloud opened and closed his mouth a few times in an attempt to form a coherent sentence, but his mind was not cooperating. It was currently a tumbling mess of theories and questions vaulting through grey matter. After managing to wrestle his thoughts, Cloud hesitantly asked, "So the Lifestream gives you human parts and also...intelligence?"

The silverette shook his head. "The Lifestream is only responsible for the physical constructs to our frame. It has no effect on intelligence. You are right that it gives us a human anatomy, but not in the conventional sense. We may have a human physique, but everything created by the Lifestream is a fusion of metal and mako. Thus, nothing about us is organic. For instance, our skin may have the look and texture of a human's, but it is not real flesh. It is a synthesis of various materials to give the appearance of radiant, wrinkle-free skin that doesn't decay. Feedback from the Head of Robotics Development said that anything natural wasn't beautiful, so they went ahead and tweaked all the codes, make us more 'appealing' to the masses. Our hair is engineered to have a healthy, silky glow _all_ the time and our nails have some elements of gemstones in it so that they shine stunningly under the lights. We don't perspire, we don't excrete any human waste and we don't have human blood. Instead, we bleed mako. Hence, the race to create the perfect human has resulted in a product that is significantly _far_ from that definition," the silver-haired man smirked as he leaned on an arm.

"That's unsurprising. People have always been chasing new ideals of beauty via artificial means such as implants and cosmetic surgery. I know a lot of women who would pay millions to look like you," Cloud grimaced as he thought of those high-powered female executives who had clung all over the robots during the exhibition, pressing their grossly enlarged busts up against the machines, all the while flashing the same million-watt smile.

"Is that so? Well, they're more than welcome to take my place," the silver-haired man said wryly.

A spark flashed in Cloud's eyes as he slowly grasped the concept. "The mako tank – Is that how the scientists tried to give you wings?" Cloud asked.

"That is correct. They dabbled a bit with avian genetics and input the code that would form the feathered appendages. They emerged and stretched outwards from my shoulder blades, but before they could fully form, they would dissolve into the swirling green of mako. The scientists repeated the process many times, but each attempt ended in the same fashion. For some reason, that particular code was not compatible with nitinol." The silverette suppressed a shiver before turning to address Cloud. "I _thought_ you had wanted to know about the genetics aspect of GLaCIAS. We seem to be frequently sidetracked when it comes to this topic," he said with amusement.

"I _do_ want to know. It's just that you're throwing a whole bunch of technical jargons and weird biological shit that would be very well suited for a sci-fi film," Cloud said in annoyance.

The silverette nodded as he said, "I understand that this may be a lot for you to take in – ". Cloud snorted in derision while the man continued. "But that is why I'm doing my best to lay these facts down in simple terms." Cloud lifted a brow in disbelief. If this was the 'simple' version, he _definitely_ did not want to know the advanced explanation.

"Now that you know how androids are built, I can delve into the genetics aspect. There is one factor which separates GLaCIAS from previous generations of SOLDIERs and even Tsviets. That factor is the J-cells, or more commonly known as the Jenova virus, named after the first human female carrier. This virus was known for its highly intellectual methods of survival. Unlike other viruses, the Jenova virus does not attack its host. Instead, once attached, it burrows deep into the heart and from there spreads its cells throughout the body. As the host shows no outward symptoms, they will infect other humans they come into contact with. This was how more than half the population of Gaia was infected with the Jenova virus. It was about 30 years ago that Shinra successfully developed and mass produced a vaccine which eradicated the virus. To this day, no one knows the virus' purpose in multiplying on such a large scale, especially since there were no recorded cases of disease or illness arising from infection," the silverette ended on a mysterious note.

"Holy Bahamut! You have a virus and you didn't say _anything_?" Cloud screamed in an accusing tone, as he clambered backwards on the couch. "And who says there were no casualties? My Mom told me that many people perished because of the outbreak. That's what she said happened to my Dad too. That he had succumbed to the Jenova virus and died a horrible death," Cloud said with perplexed brows. Granted, he could never find any mention of said deaths on the news. Even when he arrived in Midgar, nobody had ever heard of people dying after contracting the Jenova virus. Everyone gave him weird looks at his "crazy talk". But, his mother was too young to have gone senile and she couldn't have lied. His Mom was a Strife for Gaia's sake and the Strifes never lied...well, not about something this serious anyway.

"This is confounding. I have never come across any reports indicating deaths caused by the Jenova virus," the silver-haired guest said with equally puzzled eyes. "Besides, you have nothing to fear as the virus has been made harmless in the labs way before it was injected into GLaCIAS frames. Also, the scientists only used the virus to copy parts of its DNA, hoping to pass on the same thinking capabilities to us. From the looks of it, the experiment was a success. After passing countless Turing tests, it was discovered that I am not restricted to the fixed set of programming and robot laws like my predecessors. As you have observed, I can object to your demands if I do not feel inclined to follow them. Personality wise, I'm not certain how much of what I feel is my own, but I've been told that I am unique. The other GLaCIAS also behave differently from me. It appears that a side effect of the virus is that it leads to the development of distinctive personalities in each android. As you can imagine, Robotics Development was none too happy when they found out, since a sex robot that doesn't bend over when you tell it to, isn't a very marketable product. This caused a great rift between the Science and Robotics Departments. When the report was presented to President Shinra, he was beyond ecstatic. He commented that this unpredictable personality would give clients something fresh and exciting, and ordered for production to be sped up so that they could start selling these new models. That settled arguments across the board and both divisions went back to work on GLaCIAS." The silverette had a vexed expression on his face, as if he were recalling something unpleasant.

"That is...wow. So you're sentient? That's incredible. I can't believe Shinra actually did it. This is what they have been trying to achieve for _generations_. This is a game changer. The previous models will be made obsolete and the network –" Cloud's eyes suddenly widened in horror. "Shit, you're connected to the Sphere-database!" All Shinra manufactured robots were connected to the Sphere-database, a network which androids were constantly connected to via wi-fi in order to download software updates for their OS. It also doubles as a knowledge repository for robots to upload their learning experiences for other androids to analyse and replicate. Human technicians also upload learning modules so that robots know the proper response and can resolve new real-life problems which pop-up from time to time. "That means the Turks can trace your location, if they aren't already. Crap! They're probably on their way even as we speak." Cloud shot up from the couch and glanced around with dread, waiting for the Turks to break down his door or come crashing through his windows at any minute.

"Calm down. There is no reason for you to panic as the Turks won't be making an appearance. In fact, nobody knows I'm here and that's because I'm not currently connected to the Sphere. We GLaCIAS have one other thing which sets us apart from previous models and that is the Realdrive. The Realdrive is a self-contained module that stores all the necessary programming and up-to-date information packages from the Sphere, making connection to the network unnecessary. GLaCIAS were made to be completely autonomous machines. We can still connect to the Sphere-database, but we have the added benefit of being able to operate independently of the network. I am the first prototype...or rather, the third of the GLaCIAS series to function as a stand-alone android," the silver-haired man said as a matter-of-factly.

"Y-you're sure you're not connected to the Sphere?" Cloud asked uncertainly from his position near the windows.

"Positive," the silverette assured with confidence.

"And there's no way for anyone to trace your location?" Cloud questioned again.

"That is correct," the man confirmed.

With the fear of an impending threat gone, Cloud shuffled towards the sofa and slumped down onto it while releasing a yawn into his hand. Cloud had lost count of how many times he had been shocked tonight. At this rate, not even a nuclear explosion would surprise him as he was all out of energy to be startled. In the hazy background of his mind, one question niggled at his thoughts. "About your escape, if you had all these fantastic capabilities, why didn't you break out of Shinra long ago? Why escape only now?"

"A logical question with an equally reasonable answer. You see, no matter how advanced a machine may be, there will always be one thing which constrains us: Power. Any computer or electronic gadget, no matter how sophisticated they are, relies on battery power. Without power, they are as useful as the next piece of furniture or as a fancy paperweight. The Science Department had security procedures in place to prevent our escape. We are only charged to the bare minimum amount needed for training exercises. Afterwards, a technician will drain any excess power before returning us to an empty mako tank. Tonight, I had a stroke of luck. Upon exiting the VR room, the lab technician, perhaps a rookie, forgot to follow protocol and didn't hook me up to the mako receptacle in the outer room, in order to drain my power. I kept silent and waited for an opportune time to make my escape. As I was being transported back to my cell, we approached a corner which I was aware had blind spots. I made my move then and easily knocked out the two technicians escorting me. I hid their bodies in a nearby supply closet, before making my way to a maintenance shaft, all the while avoiding the security cameras. I had memorised the layout of the facility long ago so I knew of the maintenance shaft and since it was very old – it was built way before this underground facility existed – the service shaft was unmonitored. I climbed up the metal ladder all the way to the surface and emerged in Sector Zero. As I meandered through the winding alleys, some slum dwellers caught sight of me and shrieked in alarm. They were yelling about my nudity and pointed at me. I suddenly remembered from part of my learning that it was human custom to be covered up when outside of one's home." The man looked to Cloud with assuring eyes. "Don't worry, they were just your average slum rat and it appeared as if they were highly intoxicated or under the influence, so chances of them reporting me to the authorities are slim. Anyway, to avoid any more sightings, I looked for a safe place to hide, preferably an abandoned building and that was when I happened across that church. Not finding anything to wear, I decided to hole up there until later in the night when there would be less people in the streets. That was when you found me and now here we are," the man concluded as his story came full circle.

"Wow, that's –" Cloud's sentence was interrupted by a yawn which he covered with his hand. "This is really great material for a sci-fi blockbuster." Another yawn. "Your power source...how do you...recharge your energy?" Cloud asked drowsily.

"I think that question is best left for another time, seeing as you have exhausted your own energy levels," the silverette stated calmly.

"Wuzzat? No, I'm not tired," Cloud vehemently denied while rubbing at his eyes. "I was just...stretching my lungs." Yawn. "I'm wide awake and I can still listen to more..." he trailed off towards the end with an extra loud yawn.

Green eyes stared with incredulity while a silver brow disappeared into the hairline. "Hmm, I believe that is what the condition entails. Also, your body language says otherwise. You can barely keep your eyes open and you have been yawning every 15 seconds with increasing frequency. I'd say you're plenty tired." The silverette stood up and gestured for Cloud to do the same. That roused Cloud a bit from his sleepy fog as he got an eyeful of shapely cock, framed with neatly trimmed silver pubic hair. _A very beautiful cock_ , Cloud's muddled brain added. Cloud's face became inflamed when he realised his position and hastily stood up so that he was no longer eye level with the silverette's privates.

"Now, off to bed with you. You need to rest to replenish your power. Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere as long as you'll have me, so there will be plenty of time for you to ask me anything you want. Just not right now," he said as he ushered Cloud towards the bedroom.

"I guess you're right," Cloud admitted reluctantly." Just let me get you some pillows and a blanket so that you can sleep on the couch – um," Cloud paused as he searched for a name. "Huh. You've just told me your whole life story and I don't even know your name." Cloud looked at his guest expectantly.

"I don't have one. The GLaCIAS androids are referred to by their assigned numbers. Mine is G-003," the man explained.

"Oh come on! That's not a name, that's a product code at the bottom of a Blissymeal toy. You've got to have a name. There must have been _someone_ who had called you by anything other than _that,_ " Cloud said in frustration.

"Well, there was this female scientist. She was a very kind woman with long brown hair and hazel eyes and she was the only one who spoke to me like another human being. She christened me Sephiroth – after the stillborn son of Jenova. She said it was fitting since I carried her cells and it was rumoured that Jenova also had silver hair, a rare trait in normal humans," the man named Sephiroth answered.

"Sephiroth..." Cloud tested the name. It was certainly an unusual name, much like its owner. It sounded mysterious, like that of a legendary storybook hero...or a villain. Honestly, it could go either way.

"You have a name for which to call me with, human, but I have yet to have the pleasure of knowing _yours,_ " Sephiroth said with glinting humour in cat-slit eyes.

"My name is Cloud Strife, dammit! Not human or any other scientific term for my species. It's as derogatory to call me a human as it is for me to call you a sex robot," Cloud cried adamantly.

"What a curious name, Cloud Strife _Dammit_. I don't think I have ever come across any tribe or family line with that last name. Is it a naming custom exclusive to Nibelheim?" Sephiroth asked with his lips quirking up into an almost smile.

"That's not part of my name and you know it, _Sephiroth_ ," Cloud hissed in mock offense. Sephiroth smiled at that. Cloud wasn't sure whether it was from the jibe or because he had spoken the man's name. Anyway, Cloud just left it at that and strolled into his bedroom. When he emerged, he carried in his arms a pillow and quilt, and brought them over to the couch to lay them out. Then he strode back to the bedroom where he deposited his phone and wallet on a bedside table, before disappearing into the bathroom. Moments later, the sound of running water could be heard.

* * *

A gush of steamy vapour escaped through the portal as Cloud exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Feeling fresh and cleansed of the grime accumulated over a full day, he walked towards his closet to grab a pair of boxers, when he was met with cat-slit eyes staring at him from across the room. Sephiroth rose from his seat on the edge of the bed and approached Cloud. "May I _please_ also have the privilege of using your shower facility? It's just that the dirt and pollutants in the air which have coated my external layer –" Cloud cut him off before he delivered a whole thesis on the benefits of showering.

"Go ahead. Towels are on a rack next to the shower stall. There should be some spare toothbrushes in an unopened packet in the cabinet under the sink," Cloud supplied.

"Much obliged," Sephiroth replied with gratitude before making his way to the bathroom.

As Cloud slipped on a pair of baby blue boxers underneath his towel, a sudden thought struck him. "Hey! Make sure you don't use up all my shampoo!" Cloud shouted in the silverette's direction.

"I can't make any promises," was Sephiroth's casual remark as he closed the bathroom door.

Cloud cursed without any real heat. Of all things, he had ended up with a high maintenance android who was obsessed with cleanliness. On second thought, perhaps that was a preferable alternative to other robots' _usual_ obsession. That would have been awkward and a little bit unbearable.

After towelling his hair as dry as possible, Cloud flopped down onto his bed and slipped under the covers. The heat from the shower still lingered on his skin, making it very warm and cosy. A stark contrast from the cold air blowing from the apartment's centralised air-conditioning unit. As soon as he was in a comfortable position, Cloud's eyelids slowly fell as he drifted off to the sound of water pelting floor tiles in the adjoining room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally pinched that from GLaDOS. I was actually trying to spell GLaCIAL, but I couldn't figure out another A.I. related "L" word. But that's alright, because it turns out that Glacias is actually a word! In Esperanto, Glacias means icy, freezing or glacial. Also, there were many interpretations of the name Glacias, but this one was my favourite.
> 
> Glacias
> 
> Name’s number (7). Meaning (Inner, Thought, Mind, Psychology, Secret, Mystic, Strange, Study, Knowledge, Loneliness, Rest).
> 
> Lol, I accidentally discovered a real word! Plus, it has a cool meaning to boot! I guess this is what they call a happy accident. \^o^/
> 
> Also, I've made some supplementary notes below, so that you can see what inspired some of this tech stuff. It's not necessary for you to read the notes in order to understand this fic. I just thought they'd be nice to know?
> 
> **Supplementary notes:**
> 
>   1. GLaCIAS: From GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System). I love, love, love Portal 2, especially the dialogue between rogue A.I.s.
>   2. Nitinol: From Iron Man. Actually, I was trying to quote Tony Stark (Robert Downy Jr.), but in that film, he said gold-titanium alloy. oO That would be totally impractical for the, ahem, purpose of the robots in this fic. Anyway, I read a theory by American Chemical Society’s Reaction series, about a lighter, heat-resistant and reforming metal that is nitinol. So I'm using that.
>   3. Nitinol Frame: When I say frame, I'm thinking of the Orbital Frames in Zone of the Enders 2. Also in the ending scene where an Orbital Frame gets repaired, there are small tendrils of light (probably nanobots) that outline a designated repair area and then reconstruct the missing limb in a beautiful light show. That's how I envision the GLaCIAS frames (plus all generations of androids) being formed, except with glowing green tendrils.
>   4. Sphere-database: As in Apple's Cloud-database. The name sphere sounds much cooler than sky (obvious) or ozone-database...I was thinking of the spheres in FFX-2, which I think (can't remember clearly) functioned as a communication device and also doubled as a nifty wardrobe change.
>   5. Realdrive: A reference to Ghost in the Shell's cyberbrains. The explanation is pretty much the same, although I tweaked it a bit to be completely 100% machine instead of still retaining some parts of an organic human brain.
>   6. The robots’ OS: I'm thinking of Apple's OS. Yosemite, El Capitan and most recently, Sierra.
>   7. The underground labs below the Shinra building: Okay, I know a lot of sci-fi films incorporate this, but my favourite would be the one in Portal 2 (no surprise there). The labs in this fic were not inspired by Portal 2 and thus do not resemble them. That was just me expressing one of my interests. However, Sephiroth's escape was inspired by a similar one in the film, The Island. The protagonist of that film also got a glimpse of the real world in pretty much the same way. It was a maintenance shaft too (maybe?) and he ended up in a real-world hospital (the first time anyway).
>   8. Anaesthesia messing up results: I read an article (long-time ago) about its effects on cosmetic surgery. For a double-eyelid procedure, those who went without the anaesthesia had better results (the eyelids formed better / were less puffy afterwards). So if you wanna look prettier, it's best to forego the anaesthesia. As they say, no pain, no gain. Ouch.
> 



	3. Chapter 3

Clear blue eyes blearily opened to an off-white ceiling decorated with peeling paint. His pupils idly traced the web-like patterns as the tracks disappeared into shadowed corners. The room was shrouded in darkness, save for a slither of fluorescent glow peaking through a gap in the curtains. Cloud craned his neck to the right, squinting at the digital clock on his bedside table. Red glowing numbers glared back at him, imprinting a blurred greenish-yellow afterimage into his retinas. Midnight, Cloud thought as he turned over and promptly went back to sleep, a vague silhouette still floating behind closed eyelids.

Suddenly, Cloud shot upright, making a grab for his phone and watched the screen as it lit up. _Oh my God, it's 11:53 AM, not PM!_ Cloud realised with dawning horror that it was in fact, midday. _Shit! I'm late, I'm so, so late!_ He cursed inside his head as he frantically started kicking off his blanket while bolting from the bed. Admittedly, that was not the best course of action, but his mental faculties were not cooperating with his body as it were. As the ground came up to meet him, Cloud was struck by a fleeting recollection that today was his day off. Subsequently, he gave a loud grunt as he crashed to the floor in a heap of limbs and sheets. _This is going to be a long day,_ Cloud thought with a groan.

The door to his bedroom opened followed by a head of silver poking through the gap. The resulting flood of light from the living room created rays behind the silverette in a crowning halo. "Is everything alright? I heard a – _Oh_ – Woke up on the wrong side of bed?" Sephiroth's look of concern morphed into a smirk as he said teasingly.

Cloud frowned as he remarked sarcastically. "No, this is how I _usually_ wake up. It's a meditation technique meant to sharpen the mind."

The silverette's smirk curved even further. "Well don't take too long or your lunch will get cold," Sephiroth informed nonchalantly as he slowly retreated. Before closing the door completely, he spoke over his shoulder. "...Oh and you might want to reconsider your morning routine as you're turning into quite the striking resemblance of a Neo Bahamut." With that, he shut the portal, taking the light with him.

Cloud cursed under his breath before untangling himself from the sheets. He righted himself and leaned against the bed frame as rubbed his sore arms in mild annoyance. Even after so many years he still wasn't used to living under the plate. The eternal night of the slums always had him disoriented. He guessed it was to be expected since he grew up under sun and snow instead of smog and darkness. With one last look towards the window where a single beam of white split the curtains right down the middle, Cloud got up and went into the bathroom.

At the sink, his body moved on autopilot, picking up the necessary items for his daily ritual. Cloud stared at his reflection with unseeing eyes as he went through his plans for the day...or half a day it would seem. As Shinra's launch had ended very late last night, all part-timers were not required to clock in today. In addition, Cloud had already completed all his course programmes so he didn't have to show up on campus either. The only thing left was to write his thesis, which he could work on at home. He really ought to get to that one of these days. Actually, he was hoping to make some progress today, but that plan was out the window. Taking in the silverette definitely complicated matters and threw his schedule for a loop. _What does Sephiroth intend to do now? Will he seek to live a normal life with his newfound freedom or perhaps infiltrate Shinra to free the others?_ Cloud furrowed at the endless questions. There were too many unknowns that he wasn't sure what to make of them. He needed to sit down with the silverette to discuss his options. Cloud frowned at the stinging taste in his mouth and quickly spat the toothpaste into the sink before rinsing.

* * *

When Cloud walked out to the kitchenette, he abruptly stopped in his tracks. "What in Gaia are you wearing?" He arched a golden brow at the silverette standing behind the counter donned in a long baby blue apron lined with ruffles. That wasn't all though. Baby chocobo prints decorated the fabric, with the little hatchlings striking various poses.

His Mom accidentally left it here on a visit. Mother Strife had made a trip to Midgar once when he was just settling into city life. She came down insisting that she needed to take care of her only baby boy. When Cloud asked why she still kept the juvenile apron, Mother Strife had replied that it was the only reminder of her son who was halfway across the continent. However, after a week of breathing in acrid smog and trudging down dirt paths with unidentified sludge flowing from a myriad of above ground sewers, Mother Strife had declared Cloud all grown up and packed her bags. She left early the next day, taking the first ferry out of Junon and leaving him to fend for himself. So much for her precious son. He grinned at the memory. Cloud didn't dare mail such an important keepsake back to his Mother via Shinra's highly unreliable postal service, so he hung onto it with the intention of returning the item during his next trip to Nibelheim, whenever that was. Cloud snapped out of his reverie when Sephiroth started speaking.

"Isn't it common practice to wear protective garments when one is in the kitchen? Have I been misinformed? Should I take it off?" The silverette asked.

"No, no, it's fine! Leave it on!" Cloud responded in a rush of words. "It's just that my Mom normally wears that so I was a bit surprised to see it on you, that's all. You can keep it on, it's fine," he assured adamantly.

"Alright, if you insist," Sephiroth replied hesitantly before gesturing to the blond. "Come have a seat. I looked up an online recipe to make what is considered a nutritional meal for humans, but I'm not sure whether it is to your liking."

On the counter was a perfectly made gratin which looked like it had come out of a five-star restaurant instead of Cloud's tiny kitchenette. It was baked to perfection with a golden crust and the heady aroma that wafted from it in waves made Cloud's stomach growl noisily. "How on Gaia did you make this? I didn't even know I had potatoes!" Cloud exclaimed as he slid into a high chair.

"It was certainly a challenge as your kitchen is appallingly stocked. By some miracle, there were enough ingredients for this simple dish. I found some potatoes in the bottom drawer of your fridge, although I had to throw out the mutated ones. They had rolled all the way to the back, so it took some time fishing them out," Sephiroth said with his nose scrunched up in mild distaste. "How did you ever manage to survive thus far?"

"Uh, this is the 21st century so there's takeout. I also make sure to stock up on snacks so it's not like I'm starving," Cloud defended.

"Confectionaries do not count as a viable source of sustenance," Sephiroth countered.

"So you say, but I know lots of professors who survived on junk food during their college days and they turned out alright. Anyway, not to sound ungrateful, but why did you do all this?" Cloud looked up to the silverette with questioning eyes.

Sephiroth tilted his head to the side. "Isn't it obvious? So that you can replenish your energy levels. I understand that humans require a combination of sleep and substances in order to remain fully functional. A depletion in either basic need could lead to a major malfunction in daily operations. You were asleep for awhile and I was worried that you'd fall over from hunger when you woke up, so I took measures to prevent that eventuality. After all, you did take me in despite my questionable origins and it is only proper that I ensure the wellbeing of my host," Sephiroth explained fluidly.

"Thanks, that's really nice of you. Although, you don't have to feel obliged to do anything for me. I didn't bring you here thinking that you would be some sort of domestic help. Actually, I wasn't thinking at all, but that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is that you don't have to be concerned about me. I can take care of myself. Also, you shouldn't go around serving every random person you meet. You don't owe the world anything and your only duty is to yourself. Do you understand, Sephiroth?" Cloud asked with a serious countenance.

"Perfectly. Although, I would like to clarify that I have never felt inclined to cater to the whims of humans. As I've told you, I'm different. This was something I wanted to do entirely on my own," Sephiroth replied before his lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "Aside from scheduled tests, none of the lab technicians would dare to order me around, especially not after what happened to the last one."

"Why? What happened?" Cloud asked.

"I'd rather not say, lest you lose your appetite. That tale is best left for another time. For now, please consume the edibles before your blood sugar levels run down any further," the silverette advised while pushing a spoon and a plate with a slice of gratin towards Cloud.

"Alright," Cloud said with a reluctant sigh, but his mind was working in overdrive coming up with all the possible scenarios. He couldn't help it. When people warn you that their story may potentially spoil your lunch, you can't help but wonder what could possibly be so horrifying or disturbing for them to say that. What's more, the things he was thinking of were probably far worse than the actual incident. _Did he snap the person's neck? Throw them in a vat of acid? Stuff the guy in a meat grinder? Okay, that last one is a bit unrealistic._ Cloud admitted as he struggled to bring his imagination under control. Having done so, he recalled something that had been on his mind from this morning...or afternoon. Whatever. "You should start making plans on what you want to do now that you're out, but I suppose we can talk more on that later," Cloud said as he cut a small piece of gratin and took a bite. Blue eyes enlarged and the blond swallowed hastily before exclaiming in delight. "OhmyGoddess! This is fucking incredible! Here, you should try this," Cloud said as he cut another piece and brought it to the silverette's lips.

Sephiroth raised a palm as he backed away slightly. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline," he said in an apologetic tone.

"But why?" Cloud asked before belatedly realising the reason for the silverette's avoidance. "Oh...right, I forgot. Will it mess up your system? Sorry, I didn't think of that," he said hurriedly as he retracted his hand.

"No, that is not the issue." Sephiroth looked to the side in contemplation before continuing, "Any organic substance that enters our frame is immediately destroyed by the mako inside. We gain no benefit from the consumption of human provisions making it a waste of resources," the silverette concluded as if reciting from an instruction manual.

"Do you really believe that crap or is that what they told you?" Cloud raked a hand through blond spikes before looking straight into emerald eyes. "Look, my Mom always says that as long as one enjoys their meal, nothing is ever a waste and I fully agree with her. So just try and see whether you like it," Cloud requested as he raised the spoon with the piece of gratin again.

Sephiroth looked towards Cloud and then downwards to the offered consumable. The silverette stared at it for awhile, appraising the item as if he were seeing it for the first time. Just when Cloud thought he wouldn't eat, Sephiroth lowered his head to take the offered bite. An elegant mouth wholly envelops the morsel before his lips slid across metal in retreat, all done without leaving behind a single crumb.

"So how is it? Is it good?" Cloud asked the silverette.

Sephiroth chewed in thought before swallowing and came to a conclusion. "The most noticeable ingredient is the overwhelming flavour of melted cheddar. The potatoes do well in balancing the richness of cheese and are punctuated by the sharpness of onions, altogether cresting in a symphony of flavours. It is very pleasing on the senses," The silverette revealed his verdict with a contented sigh.

"Great! Then you can help me eat half of this. Before you say anything about it being a waste, _don't_ , because there is no way I can finish this on my own and reheated gratin never tastes as good. You'd be doing me a favour." Cloud hopped off his seat and bounded off behind the counter to get another plate and spoon. When he came back, he placed the items in front of Sephiroth and began cutting a line down the middle of the baked dish. The silverette didn't protest to the blond's request and the two ate in companionable silence.

* * *

After lunch, they decided it would be best to get clothes for the silverette. It would allow him to leave the apartment on his own, especially if something urgent came up and Cloud wasn't around to help. That meant they had to make a trip down to Wall Market. Cloud dug through his closet for something the silverette could temporarily wear. After tossing almost the entire contents onto the bed, he found a loose pair of slacks and a large black T-shirt with three howling wolves printed on the front. His Mom had gotten these for him thinking that he would grow into them. He never did. Although they'd be a nice fit on the silverette, if a bit snug. The slacks had an elastic waistband so he didn't have to worry about the pants being too tight or falling off. Cloud handed the articles over to the Sephiroth who took them with a word of thanks before shuffling into the clothing.

When they stepped out of the apartment complex, Cloud squinted as his eyes adjusted to a glaring white flare. Floodlights mounted along the high walls bathed the compound in a stark white glow. Normally Cloud would wear his shades, but he had given those to Sephiroth along with his black University cap bearing crimson letters "MTI" stitched across the front, in order to hide the silverette's telling features.

Cloud nodded to Sephiroth and they both exited the compound before taking the path to Sector 6. As they strolled down dirt roads, endless rows of floodlights illuminated the path ahead. This poor imitation of natural sunlight was Shinra's solution to provide a semblance of daytime to the perpetual darkness of the slums. However, he need only look up to see the illusion for what it was. The extensive black metal plate which loomed overhead was a constant reminder of their unnatural surroundings. Cloud frowned at the ebony disc suspended where the sky should be. It was an unsettling sight to behold. Every time he looked at it, he was overcome with a sensation similar to vertigo, except that it was the feeling of the plate crashing down. _How reliable are the supports? What if it fell?_ Cloud always wondered about how safe it was to have a billion tonne of solid steel hanging above the slums. Of course, Shinra assured the denizens that it was completely safe and that the plates were secured by an infallible system of security networks and support pillars. Then again, they said that for just about _everything_ , so Cloud didn't put too much faith into their words.

Upon reaching Wall Market, they were met with the sight of bustling crowds. Bodies shuffled shoulder-to-shoulder like one massive living organism as people pushed their way to their destinations. Sector 6 was the only shopping scene under the plate, hence the bustling activity. The other districts were mostly residential areas with maybe a bar or a mini-mart nearby, much like Cloud's place in Sector 7. The whole of Sector 6 was enclosed with plaster walls and a high dome-shaped roof, which made the place like one giant department store. Digital panels were installed all across the ceiling, featuring a panoramic view of rolling clouds against millions of tiny gradient blue pixels that made up the "sky". The clip was set on an endless loop, making it very easy to lose track of time in here.

Cloud grasped Sephiroth's hand and determinedly went headlong into the human wall. Even with air-conditioning, the air was thick with the scent of body odour and exhales of many. It was stifling, so Cloud tried to push his way through as fast as possible. After no small amount of jostling and stepped toes, they made it into a pocket of breathing space in front of a pharmacy. To the left was a row of shops while to the right was a path that led to the Honeybee Inn.

At the Honeybee Inn, Shinra's androids have replaced the humans as the main attraction. Machines working at the Inn were called Drones while their human counterparts were known as Bees. Drones were far more beautiful than any Bee and could fulfil every fantasy, even the most notorious of requests. The Bees couldn't even hope to compete at such level of performance. They were simply outclassed and outmatched. Thus, the value of Bees plummeted drastically since the introduction of Shinra's dolls. Nowadays, one could hire the services of a Bee at the same price it cost for a meal at local diners and restaurants. However, few actually sought out Bees, not wanting to risk unknowingly contracting a myriad of STIs. Their customers mostly made up of drunks or addicts. _The desperate_. Cloud shook his head at the tragic turn of events before taking off with Sephiroth down the row of shophouses.

They passed by many stores along the way, including a weapons shop and a materia store before finally arriving in front of a boutique. Cloud looked up at the sign that said _Leviathan's_ in royal blue, cursive writing before entering the shop with Sephiroth in tow. The motion sensor beeped as the passed through the automatic doors. The store attendant looked up from the sweater he was folding next to a three-piece display table and greeted in a rehearsed speech, "Welcome to Levi's. How can I help you?" The shop boy had shoulder length brown hair and hazel eyes.

"We're just browsing, thanks," Cloud answered. As he drew nearer, he noted a small nametag on the boy's breast pocket which read Lucien. Cloud then paused, blond brows creasing at his earlier words. "What's a...leave ice?"

"Hm? Oh! That's the name of the shop. The shortened version anyway. Leviathan's is such a mouthful and having to repeat it over a hundred times a day is such a pain, so everyone just calls it Levi's," the brunette answered.

Cloud nodded in understanding and felt sort of silly for not figuring that out himself. He then swept his eyes across the floor noting that it was void of other customers. Perhaps, people were still out at lunch. He then looked for the men's section before tugging the silverette in that direction. Cloud briefly looked at the selection before picking out a couple of outfits he thought might look good on the silverette. The boutique had a wide range from sophisticated to casual wear and their modern designs were a unique blend of East and West. As Cloud rummaged through hangars, he passed along the apparels for Sephiroth to hold and soon the silverette had a pile of clothing draped on his left arm. Cloud then led Sephiroth to the back of the boutique where the men's fitting rooms were. At the entranceway, Cloud slowed to a stop and looked up to the silverette when he didn't show any indications of moving.

"Were you planning to joining me in the changing rooms as well?" Sephiroth asked with a teasing smile.

Cloud frowned at that remark. _What did he mean by –?_ A thought struck him and Cloud looked down, gasping in surprise at seeing their hands still linked. He immediately let go while profusely apologising. "Sorry, I hadn't realised. I don't normally do that, grabbing people's hands, I mean. I don't know why I did that. I'm kind of an introvert so I kind of usually avoid physical contact if possible. It won't happen again, I promise." At the end of his word dump, Cloud looked up with worried blue eyes.

"That's too bad," Sephiroth replied with a cryptic smirk before disappearing into one of the rooms and securing the latch with a click.

Cloud didn't know what to make of that. Did he mean too bad that there wouldn't be a repeat of the gaffe or that he wasn't following him into the dressing room? Or perhaps that was Sephiroth's attempt at humour? Whichever one it was, Cloud decided he wasn't going to ask for clarification.

* * *

About half an hour later, Sephiroth emerged with his chosen garments on one arm while he deposited the rest into a bin. He then nodded to Cloud and they both made their way to the cashier. The shop clerk went behind the counter to ring up their purchases, which came to about 370 Gil. Cloud was about to make the payment when Sephiroth wandered over to the display window. There were three mannequins donned in leather coats of various shades. Sephiroth approached the one in the centre which showcased a long black leather coat. He reached out a hand, brushing his fingers against the soft material.

"Oh, do you like that? It's a limited edition leather duster inspired by the heroes from the Epic, Loveless," Lucien said as he hopped around the counter to join Sephiroth at the display window. He peeled off the black coat from the mannequin before handing it over to the silverette. "Here, why don't you try it on?" Sephiroth slowly took the leather material from the boy and carefully slipped it over his shoulders. He didn't bother to clasp the silver buckles, opting to leave the coat hanging open. When he straightened up, both Cloud and the attendant gasped in surprise.

"Amazing! This coat was obviously made for you. It fits you perfectly. What's more, the coat is 70 per cent off as this display piece is the last one. How about it? Shall I wrap it up for you?" Lucien suggested excitedly.

"How much is it after the discount?" Cloud asked the clerk.

"Only 650 Gil! A real bargain, I assure you," the brunette replied.

Cloud's eyes snapped open at the admission, but quickly recovered from the shock as he brought his features back under control. Sephiroth didn't appear to have noticed as the silverette was busy examining the linings of the leather duster. Even with the steep discount, it was _still_ 650 Gil? That was insane! The original price would have been well over 2,000 Gil. However, when Cloud looked over he had to agree with the shop attendant. The leather flowed over the contours of his body like melted chocolate. Although, the deciding factor was Sephiroth's pleased gaze as he ran his hands down the length of midnight leather. Sephiroth had probably never owned a single item in his entire life.

"We'll take it," Cloud firmly told the clerk.

Lucien nodded enthusiastically before taking the duster from Sephiroth who had shrugged it off. He proceeded to neatly fold the leather coat into a dark turquoise box with pastel teal crinkly paper before adding it into the shopping bags. The brown-haired clerk then looked up with a smile. "That'll be 1,020 Gil, please."

Cloud handed over his credit card without batting an eye, even though it pained him to do so. He didn't want to let on that this purchase was a large sum by his standards or the silverette might return some of the clothes. If was fine. He could slowly recoup the amount. Cloud entered his six-digit PIN when prompted, completing the transaction. Bags in hand, they left the boutique in search of their next item.

* * *

Cloud stood on the sidewalk as he looked up and down the street. Now that the silverette had clothes that he could wear out in public, they needed to get him some footwear. At the moment, Sephiroth was wearing one of Cloud's flip-flops which were a few sizes too small. When Cloud sighted a shoe store not far from where they stood, he pointed it out to Sephiroth before crossing the road to their destination.

They stepped inside a store called Aero Balance. This place was packed with people trying on shoes, from kids to office employees and the casual shoppers. A frazzled salesgirl with pink hair tied up in two ponytails rushed past them carrying a tower of boxes.

"Excuse me, Miss –" Cloud tried to get her attention.

She spun around causing the boxes to totter dangerously, but thankfully remained in place. "Please have a seat! I'll be with you in a moment!" She said rapidly before dashing off.

Cloud looked to Sephiroth and shrugged before taking the clerk's suggestion and walked around shelving units to find a seat. There was one empty spot left on a square brown pleather ottoman. Cloud motioned for Sephiroth to take the seat since he would be the one trying out shoes. Meanwhile Cloud held onto the bags and leaned against a nearby shelf as he looked out for the shop assistant. There was another guy helping out, but between the two salespersons they still struggled to keep up with the constant stream of demands.

After five people or so, the pink-haired girl finally made her way towards them. He caught a glimpse of her tag which only listed her name as Ava. Cloud wasn't sure if it was short for something, but it made a nice palindrome. During the wait, Cloud already identified a few pairs of comfortable-looking sneakers. He briefly conveyed to her which sneakers to bring out for Sephiroth to try. Cloud didn't mention his name, only referring to the silverette as his friend and pointed him out to her. She nodded and began pulling out equipment to measure Sephiroth's shoe size. Cloud moved aside so as not to get in the way. Once done, she scrambled off to the backroom to get the requested designs based on Sephiroth's measurements. She came back with five boxes which she quickly set down on the floor next to the silverette before scuttling off to assist another customer. Sephiroth didn't spare a glance for the other designs and instead settled on a black pair that had two swirling green lines on the side. It was the brand's logo, supposedly symbolising gusts of wind.

"Are you sure you don't want to try the other ones?" Cloud asked.

"Beige and russet brown are dull tones while maroon clashes with _every_ cell in my body," Sephiroth exclaimed with a touch of dramatics. "Black has formal, elegant tones and is the only colour that resonates with me."

"Black isn't a colour, it is the absence of colour. On the other hand, white contains all the hues of the spectrum and is also worn for formal occasions. Why not pick that one?" Cloud argued.

"That is not entirely true. You're confusing colour with light, as your idea about the spectrum only applies to white light. In physics you would be correct to say that white is a colour and black is not. Even so, it is a common logical error to think that since _all_ _colours_ produce white light, then white must be made up of _all colours_. White is an achromatic colour, meaning it is without hue. If you ask a chemist, black is a colour while white is not. That is because if you mix the three primary colours using liquid paint, you will get a pigment similar to black. However, you can't mix paint to get white. Therefore, white is the absence of colour in the context of pigment chemistry. Thus, both black and white are similar in the sense that their status as colours is contestable depending on the field of study. The only difference being that black absorbs all visible wavelengths while white reflects them," Sephiroth explained thoroughly.

"You just like black, don't you?" Cloud asked jokingly with a quirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Perhaps...Even if I did, it does not detract from what I've said," Sephiroth replied, neither confirming nor denying the statement.

Cloud was unconvinced, but didn't pursue the issue further. Instead, he turned and called for Ava to let her know of their decision. As she packed the chosen sneakers, Cloud grabbed a pair of flip-flops from a nearby rack for Sephiroth and placed them on the counter. Once, Ava scanned the items, Cloud gave Sephiroth the new flip-flops to wear while he dumped the smaller pair into a dark pine-green plastic bag with the shoe box. At the cash register, Ava rang up the total which came to about 530 Gil. Cloud pulled out his card and handed it over to the salesgirl. He swiftly typed in his PIN and kept the receipt that was handed to him. After the purchase, she bid them a hasty farewell and promptly went to pick up the remaining boxes on the floor.

* * *

Cloud took out his cell phone and spared a brief glance at its screen before pocketing it. They had spent quite some time in there and he could go for an iced soda right about now, so Cloud suggested they stop by a cafe. He had one in mind that was nearby. Cloud led them to a quaint little cafe with a sign on its storefront that read Urban Legend. It was an establishment that Cloud frequented for meals and pick-me-ups. The eatery took up half a lot and had an unassuming grey facade that could easily be lost in the sea of radiant Illumination. However, it worked out for the cafe as nearly every other shop in the area was fitted with dazzling neon so much so that people often flocked here for a bit of reprieve. When they walked in, the relief was instantaneous. Portions of wine-red brick were artistically exposed along grey walls and together with the riven slate tiles, they lended to the urban rustic ambience. Dim lighting bathed the area in muted orange while soothing music playing in the background. Cloud shimmied between patrons who sat obnoxiously with their chairs backed up and avoided staff bussing tables to reach an empty seat in one of the corners. Cloud loved this spot as it had a long plush sofa which stretched all along the wall.

When they deposited their bags onto the dark magenta cushions, Cloud glanced towards the silverette and asked, "What would you like me to get you?" Off the top of his head, Cloud began listing the cafe's bestsellers, ranging from croissant sandwiches, pizza pockets to an assortment of cakes and salads.

Sephiroth shook his head and said, "I will leave that decision to you as my perception of flavours is insufficient to make an informed choice."

"Alright, you can wait here and look after the bags while I place an order. I'll be right back," Cloud replied before he made his way to the counter. He walked up and down, looking at the array of pastries as he thought of what to get for the silverette. What if he didn't like his choice or worse, hated it. Then the rational part of Cloud's brain kicked in, reasoning that since Sephiroth had never tasted human food except for this morning, anything was bound to be a good experience...unless he gave him charred meat or something. With that in mind, he ordered two duck confit wraps, which was the house specialty plus two lime sodas. After paying at the cashier, he collected his tray and brought it over to their table. Sephiroth unfolded the crinkly paper and then took a tentative bite out of the confit. There was a pause in his chewing as if he were analysing the taste. He probably was with his highly enhanced tongue and who knew how many digital sensors. Cloud wondered if Sephiroth tasted things the same way he did or was it different for the silverette. Shinra didn't really cover that aspect during staff training about an android's range of senses, instead focusing more on what the robots could do for its clients. The more he thought about it, the more he was repulsed by Shinra...a company was currently working for. Whatever, it's not as if he shared the same views as organisation. He was only in it for the Gil and as soon as he graduated, he was going to quit that part-time job. Cloud snorted at that. He was getting way ahead of himself. First, he had a thesis to complete.

"Are you not eating?" Sephiroth asked. A silver brow peeked out above the shades.

"Huh? Yeah, sure. I was just about to," Cloud hastily replied. During his musings, he had forgotten that he wasn't alone. He tended to do that a lot, but usually there was no one around to jolt him from his wandering mind. Cloud took a sip from his drink before unwrapping his confit which was roast duck with papaya salad. The slightly sweet and sour tang of the salad was a perfect balance to the oily roasted duck meat. Cloud ate at a leisurely pace, savouring every bit of crispy skin and juices flowing from the meat. Even as slow as he ate, when he next looked up the wrap was gone as he swallowed the last piece. He then drained his cup, washing down the meal with fizzy citrus. When they were both done, they took their belongings and left the cafe.

* * *

Having gotten everything they came for, it was time to head back. This time, Cloud asked the silverette before taking his hand and once again braving through the living current. They were in the midst of bumping shoulders when suddenly, Cloud felt himself being tugged back. Actually, it was more of Sephiroth having stopped walking which had Cloud jerked back by the sudden halt. Cloud raised a brow at Sephiroth, meaning to question him when a single word fell from the silverette's lips that sent a prickly feeling crawling up his spine. "Turks," he said and that was all Cloud needed to know.

"Where?" Cloud asked as he tried to see above the ocean of heads. Internally, he cursed his short genes as they hindered him yet again.

"Near the entrance. They're heading this way," Sephiroth replied hurriedly. He then added, "We need to leave." Cloud didn't need to be told twice, but before he could turn around he was already being pulled by Sephiroth down many winding paths. Cloud couldn't do anything besides helplessly following behind the silverette. His vision was blocked by bodies on all sides as well as the broad back in front of him so he would have to trust Sephiroth's lead. They took many twists and turns before breaking away from the crowd and continued walking briskly, neither one stopping to look back.

At the first chance, they ducked into an alley and allowed some time to pass before peering around the corner. Cloud searched passers-by for signs of black suits, but didn't see the distinctive uniform worn by Turks.

"It appears they did not come by this way," Sephiroth's words echoed his thoughts. Cloud breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the confirmation. They casually slipped out from their hiding place and as Cloud fully paid attention to their surroundings, that's when he realised exactly where they were standing. They were right at the heart of Wall Market's red light district, with the Honeybee Inn just a few metres across from them. Streets were lined with shiny black capsules in every direction, which Cloud hoped to avoid as much as possible. Each of the sleek booths housed and android for...well, walk-in customers, to put it simply. No doubt, it would spark a _very_ awkward conversation, should the silverette come to know its true nature.

These standalone capsules were built to target those who could not afford the exorbitant premium of the Honeybee Inn's membership fees. When Shinra phased out its old androids, this is where they usually ended up. Seeing as the Tsviets have just been launched, it would only be a matter of time before the SOLDIER 1st series replaced the current models in these capsules. The glass was soundproof with an impenetrable black tint, giving users some semblance of privacy. Customers paid by swiping their credit cards on a digital panel next to the door. The capsule had two glass panels, an outer transparent one and an inner black-tinted panel. Prior to payment, the see-through outer panel was in place, allowing would be users to check out the wares. When a capsule was engaged, the inner panel would lock into place, completing the image of a perfect black monolith.

The capsules were also shatterproof and welded to the ground to prevent thefts. Any tampering would trigger a silent alarm, where the capsule doors would automatically be sealed while the built-in security cameras took mugshots of the perpetrator. Nearby infantry groups were alerted with the closest one dispatched to the scene. A couple of thugs tried to hijack a capsule once. They tied it with chains to the back of a tow truck, which resulted in the crane arm coming right off. When they tried to bail, a unit was already upon them. They were taken in and none of them were seen since. No trial, jail terms or even a fine. It was as if they had simply vanished. You couldn't find any mention of them in the news and all reports ended with just the arrest. Suffice to say, there were no more attempts after that episode.

Now if they could just get out of here before Sephiroth caught sight of something embarrassing. Well, embarrassing for Cloud anyway, because he would have to do the explaining. Cloud tightened his grasp on the silverette's hand and walked forwards with single-minded determination. All the while, he prayed to Gaia that Sephiroth wouldn't witness anything compromising. Like that guy who had just walked out of a capsule up ahead. _Crap_ , Cloud cursed. Alright, no need to panic. Sephiroth still doesn't know what these vessels are for and he'll damn sure keep it that way.

"Looking for a good time, handsome?" A voice laced with seduction called out from their left.

Cloud internally cringed at the light, airy tone that filtered through the clear outer glass. "Not interested. Just passing through," Cloud bit out while trying to keep his head facing towards the streets, although he caught a few glimpses of shimmering amber eyes and long, midnight locks that were blemished with questionable stains. He just wanted to just leave the scene, except Sephiroth wasn't moving. Cloud pulled the silverette's arm with everything he had, but he couldn't get him to budge an inch. _Stupid nitinol frame,_ Cloud thought bitterly.

Sephiroth was staring at the android inside the capsule with an unreadable expression. There was neither hate nor disgust. Nothing. He just simply stared. _Just what on Gaia is going on inside his head?_ Cloud glanced at the silverette with equal parts of worry and mortification. There was no hiding the fact now. As luck would have it, this one was recently engaged judging from her appearance. Sephiroth was bound to have noticed the android's dishevelled state and probably figured out their purpose in this contraption. The silverette was essentially looking at the fate that would have befallen him, had he not escaped from Shinra. Cloud couldn't fathom what that must be like, but guessed that the revelation was _probably_ worse than puberty. At least that was just one awkward phase in life whereas in Sephiroth's case this was his sole reason for existence.

"What about your partner? Perhaps he can join in and we can have a three-way," the female android winked and thrusting forwards her ample bosoms in their direction.

Cloud's sanity just about crumbled much like a dying star. This was _not_ happening. He needed to get them out of here stat, only the silverette was not cooperating. Cloud turned an exasperated look at the raven-haired android. "Trust me, that is the furthest thing from his mind right now so _please_ stop talking to us," Cloud bid in a last-ditch attempt to put a cork to the scandalous remarks.

Cloud would drag the silverette if he had to – _oh_ – it appeared he didn't need to as Sephiroth already turned to leave. Cloud trotted up beside the silverette with a silent mantra of _don't talk about it, don't talk about it, don't talk about it_ going through his head. And it seemed to be working as Sephiroth was going about as if nothing had happened. The silverette was taking it well, like he hadn't just encountered living proof of the fate that awaited him should he be recaptured. Okay, so maybe he was taking things _too_ well, but what could Cloud possibly say to him without sounding too cliché? Gaia forbid he asked the silverette if he was okay, because he obviously wasn't. Not after that. In the end, Cloud settled for linking their hands together. Sephiroth didn't even flinch, barely acknowledging his presence as he stalked forwards with vacant eyes. No matter. Cloud would wait for the silverette to confide in him in his own time. Meanwhile, Cloud wasn't going to treat him differently from before.

This time Sephiroth led the way to the exit and Cloud noted with surprise at how the crowd easily parted for the silverette. Was it because of his height or did they subconsciously pick up on his mood? Either way, they made it out of Wall Market with no trouble.

Throughout the entire trek home, Sephiroth didn't make a sound, not even once. He just kept moving forward like a silent shark weaving through a sea of air. From the corner of his shades, Cloud caught a glimpse of mako-green eyes gazing unseeingly into the distance. Okay, he took back what he said about waiting. This behaviour couldn't possibly be healthy. It would fester and scar if left to stew for too long. He needed to be snapped out of it while the wound was fresh, like a Band-Aid. Cloud would have to confront him went they reached the privacy of their apartment.

* * *

When they made it back, Cloud reluctantly retracted his hand in order to unlock and open the door. Sephiroth just waltzed through the portal in his seemingly semi-conscious state. Cloud locked the door behind him before setting the bags down next to the one Sephiroth left on the counter. He then crossed the threshold to stand hesitantly before the silverette who was leaning back against the couch with his eyes closed. Sephiroth already removed the cap and glasses which were sitting on the coffee table. _Alright, it's now or never. Then again, he looks so peaceful relaxing like this. Maybe he should come back later. No, he would probably lose his nerve if given time to overthink the situation. It had to be now_.

"Don't worry too much about –"

"I'm sorry to ask you of this –"

Both Cloud and Sephiroth stopped mid-sentence after realising they had spoken together.

 _Shit, what had he been about say? Was Sephiroth asking...to leave? Did he think that he wasn't welcome anymore just because of his origins? What utter crap._ If Sephiroth thought Cloud was going to kick him out just for being different, then he had another thing coming. Cloud had spent enough of his youth as an outcast to understand the unpleasantness of it and he would not do the same to another being, not in his lifetime.

"Whatever you're about to say, _don't_ , because I already know what you're going to ask. Look, you don't have to leave. In any case, I won't let you. You're my responsibility whether you like it or not, so you're staying here until I say otherwise," Cloud said in an unyielding tone.

"That...was not going to be my request. Wherever did you get _that_ idea from?" Sephiroth asked with a tilt of his head.

"Oh, um...never mind then." Cloud's bravado had deflated in an instant. How could he possibly have misinterpreted Sephiroth's thoughts? "So what _were_ you going to ask?" He questioned as he took a seat on the recliner.

"I'm loathe to make a request so soon, seeing as you've already done so much for me, but I urgently need another favour," Sephiroth said with a conflicted frown.

"Anything. What do you need?" he asked.

"My reserves are currently at critical so I'm trying to conserve as much energy as possible. At my current rate of discharge, I estimate that my power will run down in 15 minutes. I know it is highly unlikely, but do you have a mako-powered generator?" Sephiroth said in a slow, even pace.

"Shit, you're right. I don't have that," Cloud raked a hand through golden spikes in frustration. "Does it have to be mako? I mean, can you recharge using electricity?"

Sephiroth frowned in thought before looking up to the blond. "In theory that should work. However, the device must channel the energy via an even surface for me to absorb as I do not possess any ports for which to plug into," Sephiroth told Cloud.

"A flat surface...give me a minute. I may have something that might work," Cloud said as he scampered off to the bedroom. He went to his study table, moving aside random pieces of paper and plastic wrappers before finding the item he searched for. He grabbed it and hurried back to the living space.

"Here, maybe this could help? It's a wireless charger for laptops, but you might be able to use it. Go ahead and try," Cloud said as he placed a slim metal disc on the sofa's arm. In addition, there was a bracer attached to the bronze-coloured plate via a series of multi-coloured wires. Sephiroth tentatively touched the chrome disc with his fingertips, careful to avoid knocking the bracelet sitting on the edge before fully resting his palm on the device.

"There is a charge...," Sephiroth admitted softly with green eyes half closed in concentration.

"That's great! I've made a few modifications to it by connecting the charger to a mythril armlet. I wanted to see if I could get the device to harness the energy from materia instead of having to plug it to a wall socket. So now it's really become wireless. It's something I've been working on for my dissertation. I also discovered that different combinations of materia affect the rate of an electrical current's flow. Unfortunately, the mythril armlet only has one linked materia slot. It is the only bracer available in Wall Market, but in future I'm hoping to experiment with multiple linked slots. There's a crystal bangle with three linked slots costing 4,800 Gil. Another bracer is the wizard bracelet. That one has the highest number of linked slots in existence and consequently the most expensive coming up to 12,000 Gil. Both are only available in Mideel. Hopefully when my thesis is published, I can get a grant from one of the NGOs dealing in renewable energy to fund my research. Can you imagine? If I can replicate this on a large scale, power shortages will be a thing of the past. As an added bonus, there will also be no nuclear wastes or pollution to worry about," Cloud rushed out in an excited babble.

"That is an admirable ambition and I have no doubts of your success. Your work has life-changing implications much like the legendary Shinra who first discovered the Lifestream and identified a method to harness that energy for commercial use," Sephiroth commended.

Cloud preened a bit at the compliment. He knew his research had potential, but it was nice to hear it from someone else. "How's the charging coming along?" Cloud asked while indicating the bronze plate with a nod of his head.

"It seems to be moving...slowly. However, that's to be expected with my usual source of energy being mako. There is a loss of energy during the conversion from electricity to mako resulting in inefficient charging. At the current speed, I might have to charge overnight in order to reach full capacity. If I had mako, everything would be done in half an hour," Sephiroth sighed wistfully at their lack of access to mako.

"The only places with mako are the reactors or the labs you mentioned and there's no way we can get into either facility. If only there was a substitute for mako," Cloud briefly entertained the thought. "Argh! There's nothing on Gaia that can replace mako. Maybe I could try to collect some mako from some natural springs. Then we can pour liquid mako into one of those car batteries or perhaps keep it in solid casings similar to alkaline batteries. The second option would give us portable mako batteries, provided that they actually work. Another way would be to somehow condense the substance into solid state, then we can forego the containers and you can just hold the...condensed mako…" Cloud's eyes widened as the implication slowly hit him. "Gaia, I'm an idiot! We already have it. Condensed mako is none other than materia! Here, why don't you try holding one?" Cloud said as he popped a green orb from the mythril armlet and held it out to Sephiroth. "Don't worry, it's safe. It's just a Cure materia."

Sephiroth lifted his hand from the charger to take the orb. He closed his eyes and concentrated for any minute fluctuations in power.

"Well? Anything?" Cloud asked with jittery anticipation.

After a minute or so, Sephiroth shook his head and set down the materia on the coffee table before returning his hand to the bronze plate. "I need the flow of energy that is present in liquid mako. In solid mako or materia, that essence is trapped within the orb and I'm afraid I can't access the energy through touch alone. However, if the materia was activated, that would release the energy in the form of a spell which I could then absorb. Of course, this is only hypothetical. A drawback from this would be that castings cost energy in the first place, so I'd end up depleting energy faster than I gained. Therefore, the problem now lies in transferring the energy from materia to myself without having to resort to manual castings," Sephiroth postulated.

"I get what you're saying, but it'll take some time to figure it out. It's not like materias have an on/off switch. The bracer is the key, but how to reconfigure it to automatically channel magic into the wearer?" Cloud thought out loud. "Given enough time I'm sure we can work out something, but in the meantime you can use this wireless charger," Cloud said in a positive tone. Sephiroth nodded in agreement before closing his eyes, presumably to conserve power.

Cloud picked up the Cure materia and inserted it back into its slot. Then, he went to retrieve his laptop from the bedroom along with stacks of books on materia and set them on the coffee table. He booted up the computer and then wandered off to the kitchen counter to put away the things they had bought today.

When he returned, he sat down on the floor in front of his grey laptop and clicked open his paper to continue where he left off. A document popped up on the 13-inch screen with a title staring back at him in bold font, " **A Study into the Possible Uses of Materia as a Viable Alternative Source of Electricity** ". The methodology bit was done, but there were still many sections to write up, not to mention the dreaded referencing. He repressed a shiver at the thought. Will he ever live to see the day with his thesis finally completed? Eventually, Cloud stopped mentally procrastinating at his paper and got to work. After a few minutes of flipping through pages, he felt niggling hunger pangs so he got up to grab a bag of chips from the kitchen.

He returned to his spot on the floor while placing an opened bag of potato chips next to the laptop and resumed his work. The added fuel should help him to focus, one chip at a time. One empty crisp bag later and he was barely making any progress. Cloud got up and headed for the bathroom. Perhaps a shower would clear up his muddled thoughts.

* * *

A while later, Cloud stepped out of the bathroom feeling refreshed and much lighter than before. He pulled on a loose shirt and a pair of sleep pants before making his way out into the hall again. This time he was determined to make a dent in the document. He attacked the references with renewed vigour, scanning chunks of text for relevant quotes. As his eyes roved across paragraphs, Cloud slot in references as he went. He would come back and sort them out later, but right now he really needed to beef up his word count. In between reading and referencing, a sliver of an idea would float along the edges of his mind, prompting him to stop typing as he wrestled to bring his thoughts under control. When he managed to grasp the elusive wisp, he haphazardly typed into his computer, fearing that it would vanish with a moment's delay.

After hours of sitting hunched over the laptop he sat up straight, stretching the muscles in his lower back and arms. He rubbed a hand along his neck as he looked to his left. Sephiroth was still resting in the same position with his eyes closed. Cloud recalled the silverette mentioning he would need to recharge throughout the night. He glanced at the little clock in the corner of his laptop's screen, and then he checked the word count of his document. His brief spurt of inspiration managed to add an _astounding_ 375 words to his paper. Cloud released a weary sigh. This would have to do for now as he decided to call it a day. Cloud saved the document before exiting and switching off his computer. After closing the lid, he walked over to Sephiroth and slowly manoeuvred him to lie down on the sofa. When he finally got the silverette to rest his head on the pillow, Cloud brought over the chrome disc and slipped it back under his left hand. Cloud then pulled the blanket up to his shoulders and stepped back as he observed his sleeping form. He noticed that Sephiroth hadn't stirred during the entire process. It occurred to Cloud that the silverette was probably in hibernation to conserve power and therefore unable to respond to mild contact or that he felt secured enough to let down his guard in this environment. Either way, this severely left Sephiroth open to threats while recharging. He hovered there for awhile before turning away and headed to his own bed, switching off the lights on his way.

Cloud flopped down onto the mattress in a boneless heap as he thought about work the next morning. He was reluctant to return to the Shinra building, every fibre of his being turning into molasses at the prospect. Especially with recent events, he was far more invested in the new side-project that had come up in his discussion with Sephiroth. Cloud wanted to get started on converting the bracer to channel pure energy from materia back to its user. He would probably need to alter some circuits to reverse the flow, but it should be possible. Cloud was anxious to develop the device as soon as possible so that Sephiroth could recharge faster and thus lessen his window of vulnerability during his period of inactivity. If the Turks raided his apartment now, Cloud wouldn't be able to do anything. Not with the silverette lying unresponsive. Speaking of Turks, what were they doing in Sector 6? They rarely came down to the slums, unless...could it be that they were already on the hunt for the missing GLaCIAS? If that was the case then they'd have to be more careful when going outside.

Naturally, his thoughts wandered to the silverette and their recent excursion. They had spent more Gil today than Cloud did in months. Normally Cloud reserved the use of his card for tuition fee payments and emergencies. Then again, he supposed this counted as an emergency due to the abruptness and unexpected nature of the situation that arose. Sephiroth was essentially a fugitive, but his circumstances were much worse as he had no legal rights and would not be able to seek asylum in other countries. The silverette's case didn't fall under the categories of trafficking, kidnapping, abuse or illegal experimentation as those laws only applied to humans. He didn't get a chance to speak with Sephiroth about his next course of action and he wondered if there was anything the silverette _could_ do. The simplest solution would be for Sephiroth to live in hiding for the rest of his life...which in this case meant forever, but Cloud doubted he would do so. If Sephiroth had intended to take the easy route, he would have fled long ago. Instead, he chose to hang around Midgar, right within the enemy's lair. This strongly suggested Sephiroth's desire to go back for the others and break them out from the underground prison. It made sense as the GLaCIAS were of the same kind as him which maybe instilled a sense of community and belonging. They were also the only ones Sephiroth could truly relate to, but no matter how much Cloud thought about it, there was no way he could hope to succeed. Even if he was enhanced, he was still one person. Cloud would help of course, but adding an ordinary civilian into the mix hardly made any difference. At most, he would probably increase their chances by about 0.05%. Negligible really in the grand scheme of things. As Cloud's mind spun circles at their very bleak prospects, his eyelids gradually creeped downwards until finally eclipsing aquamarine pools.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. My phone crashed, taking my fics with it. Don't worry, I'm now using Google Docs and also doing regular backups to my thumbdrive, so this shouldn't happen again.
> 
> Yes, I've brought the pace down to a simmer, because there are a lot of things they need to work out. Not everyone can be like Terminators and just storm the building.
> 
> So thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


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